Edmonton Oilers News, Stats & Fan Discussion

The Oilers should consider bringing Michael Bunting in on a PTO, with a one-year prove-it contract potentially worth up to $2 million. He has topped 30 points and 15 goals in each of the last five seasons and could give Mike Babcock a gritty, defensively useful forward, though his declining scoring and penalty differential are warts the club would have to live with.

The Oilers’ preseason win over Winnipeg won’t count in the standings, but it offered a couple of encouraging signs: Ryan Shea’s quick response after an early goal against and a noticeable edge in physical play. Edmonton also generated 28 shots, reinforcing the straightforward recipe here—keep the pressure on and make the other goalie earn his night.

The Oilers opened preseason with a 5-2 win over Winnipeg, but the bigger takeaway was Mike Babcock making it clear that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl must lead by playing the right way without the puck. Ryan Shea also made a strong first impression as a possible steady partner for Evan Bouchard, while the rest of the newcomers get a tougher test ahead. The early Babcock buzz is real, but one preseason game is still just one preseason game.

Chaz Horton’s tongue-in-cheek return from a 47-year cryogenic nap gives Oilers fans a wide-eyed look at the modern game. He came away most impressed by Connor McDavid and the team’s pace after Edmonton’s 5-2 preseason win over Winnipeg, figuring this group might have something cooking.

Matthew Savoie’s strong finish to 2025-26, including 19 points in his final 26 games alongside Connor McDavid, put him on the long-term-contract radar. But his uneven season and off-season injury leave enough question marks that the Oilers may be wise to wait, even with the risk that he becomes offer-sheet eligible after 2026-27 and costs more to retain.

The big Oilers preseason concern is health, with Matt Savoie and Frederik Andersen still sidelined and Connor McDavid’s brief scare worth watching even though he played the opener. Mike Babcock is already hammering home structure and detail, while Colton Dach getting a look at centre adds an intriguing wrinkle to the bottom-six competition.

The Oilers’ prospect pool is spread across Bakersfield, college, junior and Europe, with Isaac Howard, Quinn Hutson and Viljami Marjala among the names who could factor into the organization’s plans this season. Owen Michaels may get an NHL look, while the club also has a crowded goaltending picture, carrying five goalie prospects for four AHL/ECHL spots. There’s no blue-chip prize in the bunch, but several players are starting to look like useful future roster pieces.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin were every bit as dominant as expected, while Evan Bouchard and Ryan Shea also stood out in Edmonton’s latest outing. The bigger concern is what comes after the stars: the second line was only effective alongside Bouchard, and the bottom-six groups struggled to generate much. Mike Babcock’s real challenge is finding a second line that can score and outscore without leaning on the big guns.

The Flames are building a respectable defensive foundation around Simon Nemec and Zayne Parekh, with Dustin Wolf giving them another reason to stay competitive. But up front they remain short on high-end talent, especially at centre, so while Calgary could hang around the playoff picture, it does not look equipped to make much noise beyond that.

The Oilers opened their shortened preseason with a 5-2 win over Winnipeg, getting four assists from Evan Bouchard and strong debuts from Ryan Shea and Alex Formenton. Shea scored and added two assists in his first game after signing a five-year, $20-million deal, while Formenton brought speed and scored on one of three breakaways. Tristan Jarry also settled in after an early goal, stopping the next 14 shots he faced.